New Zealand has had its own complete honours system since 1996, but the recommendation of the 1995 review committee to put in place a system without titles was rejected at the time. In 2000 the right of new appointees to the first two levels of the New Zealand Order of Merit to use the title of ‘sir’ or ‘dame’ was removed, reprising for some commentators a perceived incongruity between the pomp and formality of honours with New Zealand’s egalitarian and down-to-earth national character, and the struggle for newly minted honours to acquire the mana of long-established ones. Titles were re-instated in 2009.

This cartoon offers some humorous ideas on some honours New Zealand could consider, such as DGJ – Damn Good Joker.